Download Precision Calf Nutrition

Precision nutrition for dairy calves
N. B. Litherland, A. Hoskins, and P.C. Hoffman
Take Home Messages:
1. Balanced nutrient intake from both milk and starter is likely the most practical way of
achieving high rates of growth, good rumen development, and maximized calf health.
2. Prevention of calf scours starts with timely feeding adequate amounts of clean colostrum,
consistently mixing milk replacer at 12.5 to 15% total solids, maintaining good
equipment hygiene, and rapidly identifying and rehydrating calves that develop scours.
3. To evaluate the precision of your calf nursery program:
a. Set a goal for calf growth.
b. Have your nutritionist evaluate the program using modeling software with inputs
of calf body weight, temperature, feed nutrient composition, and feeding amounts.
c. Measure calf growth to determine if calves are meeting growth goals.
d. If calves are not meeting growth goals evaluate the complete system to find points
of constraint.
4. Amino acid and fatty acid balancing might be a key future component of calf nutrition
a. Feeding a precise blend of amino acids (from both milk and starter) might meet
amino acid demands for growth with reduced amounts of crude protein.
b. Feeding to meet specific fatty acid requirements appears to have benefit in the
areas of gastrointestinal tract maturation and immune system function which in
turn will positively impact growth and efficiency of growth.
Increasing the precision of milk nutrition for nursery calves
1. Plane of nutrition impacts rate of growth, efficiency of growth, and starter intake.
The amount of milk solids fed, composition of the solids, and the timing of delivery all
impact calf growth and health response.
2. Milk total solids and osmolality.
a. Milk is typically 12.5% total solids which equates to an osmolality of 300
mosmoles/mL. We believe the calf is designed to use this solids concentration
and greatly decreasing or increasing the solids concentration might alter
digestibility and increase the risk of digestive tract upsets.
3. Applications of a milk balancer.
a. Careful attention is warranted when using a milk balancer.
b. Be sure to evaluate the total solids, total protein, and total fat content of the final
mix.
c. Maintaining consistency of the feeding program is a hall-mark of a successful calf
raiser.
4. Alternative proteins in milk replacer.
a. Plasma protein is a functional protein which can both increase intestinal health
and provide dietary protein.
b. Other alternative proteins such as soy and wheat protein can be processed to
reduce anti-nutritional properties, included in milk replacer, and result in
somewhat comparable calf performance. Typically these alternative proteins
increase fecal scores and have been associated with reduced calf performance
early in the nursery phase.
5. Amino acid balancing milk replacer.
a. Amino acid (AA) balancing continues to be a topic of considerable importance in
lactating cow nutrition. In cows, the goal is to reduce the amount of protein fed to
the cow by meeting demands for specific amino acids which also typically results
in increased milk protein production.
b. Amino acid profile also impacts growth and efficiency of growth per unit of
protein fed.
c. Methionine, an amino acid, may play an important role in modulating
inflammation. Modulating inflammation may reduce the severity and duration of
calf illness.
6. Fatty acid balancing milk replacer.
a. Fatty acids not only provide energy to the calf, but can also serve as signaling
molecules to alter metabolism.
b. Butyrate (butyric acid) is normally produced in the rumen of the cow through
microbial fermentation. Feeding butyric acid early in a calf’s life appears to
stimulated gastrointestinal tract maturation.
c. Medium chain fatty acids may act as natural antimicrobial agents, and in the
future, may help replace feed grade antibiotics.
d. Polyunsaturated fatty acids modulate the inflammatory response by the calf’s
immune system allowing the calf to recover more quickly from an immune
challenge.
Increasing the precision of starter grain nutrition for nursery calves
1. Protein concentration.
a. We continue to seek strategies to meet calf nutrient requirements for calf growth,
maximize calf health, and reduce calf rearing costs.
b. Few studies demonstrate any clear benefit of increasing starter grain protein
content greater than 18%
2. Physical form of starter grain.
a. The most important aspects of starter grain is intake and palatability.
b. Encouraging calves to consume starter grain intake at an early age increases the
rate of gastrointestinal tract maturation, establishment of normal bacteria in the
rumen and intestines, and increases the amount of nutrients available to the calf.
3. Body weights can be very useful in predicting amounts of feed intake calves should be
eating. (Table 2).
a. Knowing intake as a percentage of body weight and efficiency of conversion of
feed to growth allows us to better understand if calves are being fed the correct
amount of grain.
b. Intake as a percentage of body weight also allows us to minimize the risk of
underfeeding or overfeeding.
4. Achieving adequate amounts of starter grain intake in addition to balanced milk feeding
has a clear impact on calf growth (Table 3).
Increasing the precision of drinking water nutrition for nursery calves
1. Optimizing amount
a. Avoid over or underfeeding drinking water.
b. Calves should have access to clean drinking water at all times during summer and
water intake during winter is just as important as in summer.
c. Water intake and starter grain intake are closely correlated. As starter grain intake
increases water intake, and therefore, water access must also increase.
2. Ideal temperature
a. Calves prefer warm water, preferably between 100 and 105°F.
3. Ideal timing
a. Offer warm water within 30 minutes of the calf finishing milk.
Table 1. Osmolarity of milk replacer mixed with varying amounts of water1.
Amount of
Weight of 20:20
Percent solids of
water
CMR powder
final mix
1.25 quarts
8 ounces
16.1
1.25 quarts
10 ounces
19.3
1.50 quarts
8 ounces
13.8
1.50 quarts
10 ounces
16.6
2.0 quarts
8 ounces
10.7
2.0 quarts
10 ounces
13.0
1
Dairy Calf and Heifer Protocol Manual, R.M. Thornsberry.
Osmolarity of final
mixture
419
520
348
434
260
325
Table 2. Feed intake by a large breed dairy calf expressed as a percentage of body weight1.
Body weight, lb
90
100
110
120
ADG, lb/d
0.9
0.9
1.3
1.8
DMI, lb/d
1.5
1.6
2.1
2.6
Intake as a % of body weight
1.6
1.6
1.9
2.2
130
1.8
160
1.8
180
1.8
200
2.0
220
2.0
1
Dairy Cattle NRC, 2001
2.7
4.5
4.8
6.0
6.3
2.1
2.8
2.7
3.0
2.8
Table 3. Example of predicted gains from energy and protein for calves fed varying amounts of
either a 20:20 or a 24:18 milk replacer. Calf body weight was adjusted for predicted growth in a
thermoneutral environment (70°F) and starter intake was manipulated to demonstrate the impact
of starter intake on nutrients available for growth.
20:20
(1.8 lb /d)
20:20
24:18
(2.2 lb/d)
(1.8 lb/d)
Predicted calf growth, lb/d
24:18
(2.2 lb /d)
0 lb/d starter grain
(90 lb calf)
Energy allowable gain
Protein allowable gain
1.5
1.1
2.2
1.5
1.6
1.5
2.1
1.8
1.0 lb/d starter grain
(110 lb calf)
Energy allowable gain
Protein allowable gain
2.1
1.6
2.6
1.9
2.0
1.9
2.6
2.3
2.0 lb/d starter grain
(130 lb calf)
Energy allowable gain
Protein allowable gain
2.5
2.0
2.9
2.3
2.5
2.3
2.9
2.7
3.0 lb/d starter grain
(160 lb calf)
Energy allowable gain
Protein allowable gain
2.7
2.4
3.1
2.7
2.7
2.7
3.1
3.1